keeping cats in or letting them out

[CuteCats]

Ours are secure in and out.  Busy road and cat fighting round here too.

[girlinleeds]

We lost our first cat to antifreeze poisoning, when we got our next cat (bella) we decided to let her out when it was warmer, she enjoyed going out but she was very nearly attacked by a dog and then she became very poorly and we thought we might loose her. That was last september time and it took a good while for her to get better by which time we realised she was quite happy staying in and we decided to keep her as a house cat and shes been fine, jess our kitten has never been out and so is happy as a house cat. It really does depend on the cat though as barney our first cat went stir crazy if you tried to keep him in.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Mine are indoor cats.  It's not really cat friendly around here, being near a main road and also near a bend in the main road.  I also have no direct access to outdoors as I live in a ground floor flat (except for the window) so they have always been indoors only and have never known anything different.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

I think that's the key Gillian - if he's happy and stimulated fully indoors, he's less likely to realise he's missing out on anything.

[gillian86]

Sounds like you are in a similar situation to me. There is a garden at the back of the house but my flat has no garden. The front door just goes the the front of the house where a couple of people park their cars. I've put a bench and have some pots on our steps as they are quite wide and there's a very small area at the top where you can sit. Buffy comes out with me when I go out and has a sniff around but Xander won't come out of the flat. They don't seem very interested in going out. They have never been out and I've decided to keep them indoors until we move somewhere else. I only work part time at the moment so can spend lots of time with them. I do feel sad sometimes as have only had cats that could go outside before. They have never been out so they really don't seem to miss it.

I was going to build them a cat ladder to the garden at the back but they don't seem to want to go out so I'm not going to go to the expense of getting it done.

We have a large 2 bed house with a mezzanine area above the lounge so he has lots of room inside and my partner just put up a 3 tier cat tree we got for him yesterday so he is loving that. I also work part time aswell as doing an ou degree so I am at home with him most of the time. If he is really showing signs he wants to be out when he's older I would have to reconsider but my gut feeling is he won't as he loves his life as it is and likes being around us.

[Mymblesdaughter]

Sounds like you are in a similar situation to me. There is a garden at the back of the house but my flat has no garden. The front door just goes the the front of the house where a couple of people park their cars. I've put a bench and have some pots on our steps as they are quite wide and there's a very small area at the top where you can sit. Buffy comes out with me when I go out and has a sniff around but Xander won't come out of the flat. They don't seem very interested in going out. They have never been out and I've decided to keep them indoors until we move somewhere else. I only work part time at the moment so can spend lots of time with them. I do feel sad sometimes as have only had cats that could go outside before. They have never been out so they really don't seem to miss it.

I was going to build them a cat ladder to the garden at the back but they don't seem to want to go out so I'm not going to go to the expense of getting it done.   

[Liz]

I speak from the following Outdoor only my motley band of ferals who have turned up over the years like the outside digs and food but not the humans, then there are the indoor/outdoor crew who are all in at night who are made up of Domestics, trained down ferals and 3 of my 4 Bengals, 2 Ragdolls and my NFC and then there are my indoor only they are all former ferals some nice and some nasty who through their choice now live inside and show no interest in going and my other Bengal is a housecat by my choice but is showing interest in going out so that will come with time

I have lost 4 to the roads - 2 at our last house which was rural and even here where we do live in the middle of nowhere up a single dirt track with woods and fields all around I have had 1 killed on the track 8 weeks ago and one of my former ferals who was hit but something and threw a saddle back thrombosis and was written off by the vet and I was given a bottle of Heparin and injected that boy twice a day for 5 months and he recovered but walks with a limp, also rebuilt Puma one of my handrears to the tune of £1500 so it doesn't matter where you live things happen

When I go away to visit my OH I ground all of mine and have a live in catsitter and she feeds the outside kids

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

I think a lot depends on where you live, and your own circumstances.

I've lost four cats over 20 years to the roads, two of which have been in the last three years, and it's heartbreaking.      Our neighbour's cat was also knocked down and killed just two weeks ago.  As he used to play with our two, it upset me greatly.

Me and OH can't agree over this indoor/outdoor business.  I would prefer to cat proof our garden, so the cats have access to the outdoors but in a limited way.  OH doesnt feel this is natural and would be unkind to the cats.  However, I know many people who have cat proofed gardens which work well as a solution, and other with indoors only cats, and they're perfectly happy so long as they get plenty of stimulus and playtime, and a decent window to look out of. 

I agree though that most of the time, once they do get outdoors and their confidence grows, you'd have the devil's own job keeping them in again.

[gillian86]

No it does not stop them roaming they just dont go so far.

If they are happy inside sounds like that would be best but if you take one out that will change as I know from Lupin!!

Well the most he's been outside at the moment is just on the front door step, he sniffs around but isn't fussed about going further. I have also noticed he spooks at loud noises and if cars or vans come past the front of the house he will hide because he doesn't like the sound so I think he would be scared if he was out and about where that noise is frequent.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

No it does not stop them roaming they just dont go so far.

If they are happy inside sounds like that would be best but if you take one out that will change as I know from Lupin!!

[gillian86]

Do you have a garden? Lupin goes out in the garden with me in his walking jacket cos its not safe for him outside the garden..............which is fairly big.

Misa and Sasa are older now and stay in the garden.

It really depends on the area and cat cos some just dont tollerate being inddors all the time.

Your partner is being silly!

No we don't have a garden, I think we will just have to see how he is. He is happy enough inside at the moment and neutering stops them wanting to roam? We have a lot of territorial cats in the area who are always fighting and the neighbours cat hates other cats and will go for them at any opportunity (we have seen this) we also live not far from a busy road. All these things make me feel like indoor living is the best thing for him, if he is crying to go out though I'd have little choice.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Do you have a garden? Lupin goes out in the garden with me in his walking jacket cos its not safe for him outside the garden..............which is fairly big.

Misa and Sasa are older now and stay in the garden.

It really depends on the area and cat cos some just dont tollerate being inddors all the time.

Your partner is being silly!

[gillian86]

Hi.
I'm a big fan of keeping them in. I am training my two to go out on a harness,  slow work. Holly one of my cats who sadly is no longer with me was a house cat but she loved going out on her lead and she lived until she was 21 and a half. A couple of cats before her didn't fair so well.
 

I would be willing to try walking on a harness but my partner won't allow it, I think he's worried about people seeing and is embarrassed

[hollycat]

Hi.
I'm a big fan of keeping them in. I am training my two to go out on a harness,  slow work. Holly one of my cats who sadly is no longer with me was a house cat but she loved going out on her lead and she lived until she was 21 and a half. A couple of cats before her didn't fair so well.
 

[gillian86]

I have already decided that I won't be letting Mully out once he is old enough and my partner feels the same way, when we got him the rescue centre said that is what they reccomend and for his own saftey and my peace of mind I think that is best. I know this is something everyone feels differently about and wondered what you all think about it on here?